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Expunge Assist is a free digital tool designed to help Californians clear past arrest and conviction records. A personal letter, or declaration, is crucial proof when requesting a record be expunged. Expunge Assist's letter generator helps with crafting this letter. The letter generator does not rely on AI, protects personal privacy, and will not store sensitive information.
Expunge Assist, formerly known as The Record Clearance Project, was created in response to criminal justice reform in California, specifically clean slate laws such as Props 64 and 47 and AB 1076.
Clean slate laws provide opportunities for clearing non-violent, non-sexual, and non-serious convictions through expungement. This process, which is the primary method to clear criminal records (alongside less common methods like a pardon from the governor), gives a person a second chance to seek job, housing, and education opportunities without the burden of earlier mistakes.
There are two methods of expungement: 1) automatic expungement, which is done directly by the courts and 2) petitions. The courts have already automatically expunged millions of records over the last few years. For all other records, a person must individually file a petition to the court to clear a record. The petition process places the burden of responsibility on the individual seeking this important legal remedy.
Expunge Assist offers pro bono technological solutions to simplify the expungement process. Its broader aim is to support the vital work of government agencies and legal aid organizations in the record clearance field.
For more on the scope, the expungement process, and key terms, see this May 2024 slide deck.
Old records can show up on commercial background checks, even after a person has paid fees, completed probation, or served time. Expunging past arrests or convictions removes barriers to job, housing, and educational opportunities. Recent California clean slate laws make most misdemeanors and felonies eligible for expungement, but the petition process can be daunting. Our goal is to simplify that process for Californians.
You can access our Project One Sheet here.
The Wiki is a working document and we would love to improve it. Please compile any questions and suggestions you may have and submit it via GitHub. Here's information on how to create a GiHub issue.